Eurasian polytheism in post-colonial Manila

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Laya the Indophile

The pagana most often referred on this blog as the “Indophile” is Laya Manawari. She is a devotee by trade. She loves the feeling and the purpose she gets from loving a god — a personal relationship that is purely about love and beauty. Her relationships with the gods have shown her how to be more involved in the now and not to be so caught up in getting to an ending. She likes how empowering it is as it is a great feeling to be really connected to the moment and flow with it.

She is a work in progress but she is definitely more mindful now because she is more grateful and more alive. Just like in the last words of the Bhagavad Gita …

“I remember.”

She says, “when I remember, I am”.

She figured a long time ago that one can anchor one’s life to absolutely anything, so she went searching for “it” and, as you may expect from a Gemini, she was attracted to so many extremes – independence and dependence, submission and rebellion, materialism and renunciation. She goes on to share:

It was exhausting in different ways being constantly transfixed at a goal and always waiting to arrive. Arrive where? It made me lose my mind because whatever it was, it never came. That’s a ridiculous philosophy I was sold! And then I met Hermes. Oh, the most awesome Hermes! My gift of gab shone brighter and suddenly I had hands that could somehow manipulate luck. The doors opened and the ways just became limitless. That’s really awesome! Then I had to bulletproof my Self so I wouldn’t be easily corrupted by my environment and that’s when Dionysos came in. He showed me how to let go and still win, how to stop being so fixed at a result and the most important of all is how to put myself first because I am the only one who can shine light to my madness.

She is also devoted to Ganesha, Shiva, Durga Maa and Hanuman. Indeed she has very awesome friends in the form of these Gods.

Who are We?

A.L. Eleftherios — the polyanimist gentile also known as Aldrinus — owns this space.

Under Two Trees are a small but stout-hearted community of devotional polytheist pagans and their respective families. Our focus is domestic cultus: we see ourselves as working with our beloved Gods and Spirits, especially our ancestors, in maintaining the peace and well-being of our households.